Battery terminal post clamp



April 16, 1935. SPEARS 1,997,981

BATTERY TERMINAL POST CLAMP Filed OCt. 7, 1933 Patented Apr. 16, 1935 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in terminal post clamps for storage or similar electric batteries and pertains particularly to a clamp which is designed for easy attachment and renicval.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a battery terminal clamp which will operate to protect or shield the terminal from corrosion and which when manipulated to effect its release, will automatically disengage itself from the terminal post.

Another object of the invention is to provide a battery terminal post clamp having associated therewith means whereby grease may be injected in between the clamp and the post after the clamp has been applied, thereby effectively protecting the clamp and the terminal post from the corrosion which is so frequently found at these places on storage batteries.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a terminal post clamp for batteries which is in the form of a compressible cap which engages the post and which is compressed thereagainst by means of a resilient band which, when released permits the resilient cap to spread or enlarge itself so as to automatically free itself from the terminal post.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding. however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claim;

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the clamp embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the clamp.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the severalviews, the numeral I indicates generally the main body portion of the terminal post clamp embodying the present invention, which, as shown, comprises a cap-like device which is of circular cross section and closed at. one end by the head 2. The side wall of the body I is split longitudinally from the free edge inwardly and at opposite points as indicated at 3, whereby the closing together of the open end is effected in the manner as hereinafter specifically pointed out, to clamp the body to a terminal post.

Formed integral with the side wall of the body I and extending preferably at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof, is the sleeve 4 in 5 which is secured one end of a battery cable 5. This sleeve 4 and the body I form the necessary electrical connection between the cable and the battery terminal post.

The head portion 2 of the body I has formed in integral therewith or has secured thereto, the coupling unit 6 which is preferably of the type known as an alemite fitting whereby a grease gun may be attached to the body to inject grease to the interior thereof through the opening I with which the fitting t communicates.

Surrounding the body 6 is the flexible metal band 8 with which is integrally formed the hollow stud 9 which opens at its inner end into the interior of the band and which has formed interiorly. 2d and adjacent its outer end the screw threads Ill.

In this stud is threaded the screw II which, when the band is in position about the body, bears at its inner end against the body when rotated to be moved inwardly. The outer end of the screw carries the head 92 by which its rotation is facilitated.

In the use ofthe presentterminal post clamp the cap I is slipped down over the terminal post while the band 8 is in positionthereabout, after which the screw it is rotated so that pressure eter so that a chamber 53 is formed thereabout in which grease may be packed to protect the screw against corrosion and against freezing in 40 the stud.

As the interior diameter of the cap adjacent its open end isnormally slightly greater than the overall diameter of the terminal post it will be apparent that the body will be under tension when compressed about the post by the band 8 and when it is desired to remove the clamp, by backing out the screw l I, the body will automatically open and thereby separate or free itself from the terminal post, thus facilitating its easy removal.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A battery terminal clamp, comprising a cap-like body completely closed at one end and open at its opposite end to receive a battery terminal post,

the body being of smaller diameter at its closed end than at its open end, and further having a slot formed in the wall from the open end through a portion of its length, an integral socket body formed upon the wall of the cap adjacent the closed end for the reception of a battery cable, a ring surrounding the body between the socket forming body and the end of larger diameter of the cap body, said ring being of smaller interior diameter than the overall diameter of the larger end of the cap body, a valved element in the closed end of the cap body facilitating the injection of grease thereinto, an interiorly threaded hollow stud formed integral with said ring and alining with an aperture in the ring, and a screw threaded into said hollow stud and contacting the cap body at its inner end through the ring.

ANDREW J. SPEARS. 

